LePouvantail

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Lock took a drag as he listened. As Carver spoke, a few more pieces clicked into place. He started to recall a few details, such as the prank preparations, and even this morning. He pondered on it, and just let the information come to him. By the time Shock and Barrel rejoined them, he at least had a decent grasp of the whole situation, and was starting to remember his side of things.

Barrel climbed up into the tree house first. He looked pleased with himself, as things has gone well in the pumpkin patch, and he was beaming about what little he heard went down in the graveyard. Sounded like Lock messed up big time. Lock worked on his third cigarette as the pieces of his encounter with the vampires began to fall into place.

Shock entered last. She flew up into the tree house on the broom, then gently landed on the middle of the room. Lock flicked some ash as he waited for the inevitable and brought the cigarette to his lips again. Barrel was still beaming until he picked up on his older brother's demeanor, then his smile began to fade. It worsened when Shock set the broom aside, crossed her arms, and glared at Lock. Barrel decided to join Carver as Shock set her sights on the middle trickster.

"You almost cost us this whole thing," she snarled. "Fortunately, I spotted Lillith and Carmilla in the square on my way back, so they shouldn't be a problem."

Lock's tail flicked in irritation.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" he cried. "Lillith dodged my hit!"

"Yeah, after you got distracted!"

"Nuh-uh," Lock said as he flicked a bit more ash. "What Carver told you was utter corpse rot! She wasn't there! Lillith cornered me before I could reload. I kissed her to distract her so I could smash a balloon on her head."

"So this whole thing is because you're a lousy shot?" Shock asked.

"They're affected and won't remember this, so shove it." Lock took a forceful drag, then pointed to Barrel. "At least my screw-up was an easy fix!"

"Hey!" Barrel exclaimed.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Lock tossed the old cigarette into the ravine once they got there and climbed up the rope ladder first. He then lit another cigarette as he turned to Carver.

"Might as well explain now so I know why she's going to chew my head off when she gets here."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Lock stared at Carver for a second. All right, that sounded plausible, especially when Shock asked about his "stash" and took a bucket of water balloons. He caught the rock and threw it back at her cage.

Shock nodded as she hovered on the broom. She then clicked on the walkie-talkie.

"Barrel, do a final sweep and head back to base," she said. "We'll meet you there."

"Got it," Barrel replied.

Shock then turned to Lock and Carver.

"You two head back," she said. "I'm gonna do a final check."

She gave a pointed glance to Lock.

"Straight home," she said with a glare. "You're lucky the twins won't remember this, or I'd clobber you right now."

Lock glared back and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Fine, Your Majesty," he said.

Shock glowered at him.

"And don't you forget it."

Lock stared her down for a few seconds, then slipped off the tombstone and headed for the tree house as Shock took off again. He pulled out his cigarette pack as he walked with Carver and paused only long enough to light one up. All of this memory bullshit was stressing him out, and he knew he'd need to have some of the edge taken off by the time his older sister got back.

Shock swept the graveyard a final time, then went to the pumpkin patch to relieve Barrel of any extra balloons. Any stragglers she caught from above would find themselves drenched. The rest of her ammo was relieved in the further residential areas of town as a secondary assurance that not a soul in Halloween Town aside from the four tricksters remained unaffected. Shock then headed back to meet the others at the tree house.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Lock glanced at her, frustrated.

"I still don't know what you're talking about," he said, "except I did something to the twins, kissed Lillith, and that somehow got their attention to whatever we're doing."

He crossed his arms and flicked his tail.

"...And something about the witches' shop. I remember that."

Lock glared at Carver.

"So if you're going to go on about what I screwed up, at least tell me what the hell this is all about."

He glanced over at Shock as she returned.

"Probably," he said. "They both flew that way."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

[...]

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock took the bucket when Carver retrieved it and carefully hung it on the front end of the broom. She also placed Lock's slingshot on top for easy access, as hers would be difficult to retrieve from her boot while still controlling the broom. She had Carver take a few balloons in her vines, just in case anyone else entered.

"Watch Mr. Amnesia for a moment. I'll be back."

Lock took a seat on a nearby tombstone. The thought of the broom glued to wall seemed to spark something, and he didn't want to lose it. It was important, and so was whatever they were doing that required Shock using the broom they stole. His tail twitched in contemplation. This, and the strange water on the vampire twins...they were all connected. How?

Shock took off again with care. She found Hanging Tree quickly, balanced herself carefully, then bombarded him and his Hanging Men from above. She was gone before they could comprehend the sudden mysterious rainfall. Shock made a quick swoop of the rest of the cemetery, then came back to Lock and Carver.

"I think that's it," she said. "I didn't see Lillith or Carmilla. They probably headed back to town."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

It would only take another moment or two for the oldest trickster to arrive. Shock carefully flew over the graveyard. Of her brothers, she expected this sort of thing to happen to Barrel, if it happened at all. She spotted Hanging Tree over by the old crypts and maneuvered carefully to avoid him. It didn't take long to spot Lock and Carver.

Lock kicked at the pumpkin creature's legs.

"Brought their attention to what? Damn it, Carver, help me out here!"

Shock flew down beside Lock and Carver and hovered at about their level.

"Seriously, Lock? You couldn't focus for two damn minutes? Spot your girlfriend, and suddenly can't think with the right damn head?"

Lock managed to wrestle himself free aside from a few vines around his ankle.

"Hey, don't look at me!" Lock cried. "I was just minding my own business when--wait, when did you get a broom?"

Shock smacked him upside the head.

"The witches' shop, you dope! We traded it for the wedding broom!"

Lock snarled at her and tried to swipe her back, but Shock drifted out of range. Still, the mention of the shop and the wedding broom jogged something. Why did he remember gluing a broom to a wall all of a sudden?

Shock turned to Carver.

"Where's his stash?"

Hanging Tree was still here, and she could at least make sure he and his hanging men were affected.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"Ow! Hey!"

Lock grabbed her vines and tried to wriggle free. He started to protest, but had to fend off another vine. Shock's voice crackled on their walkie-talkies again.

"I'm almost...anyone else?"

Banding Together in Halloween Town

There were a few seconds of silence as the oldest trickster undoubtedly mentally calculated these new factors.

"I'm heading your way. What did he do?"

She got her answer a moment later as Lock used the few seconds Carver spent giving Shock her update to pull free.

"Carver, what thing? The hell is going on?"

Another pause. Another factor.

"...Tell me he didn't..."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

He kissed her back with a smirk. Lock then reached up to wipe whatever that was on his shoulder, then stuck his tongue out at Lillith. He smiled as he watched her go...then felt Carver's vines around his throat.

Lock tumbled to the ground, then immediately kicked into defense mode. His tail wrapped around several of her vines before they could ensnare it first, before he focused the rest of his priorities into keeping Carver from choking him.

"The hell are you even talking about?" he cried. "What thing?"

The both of their walkie-talkies crackled. With their close proximity as the two wrestled, a bit of interference shrieked over the sound of Shock's voice, but enough of the message came through.

"Pum...atch secured. How are...graveyard?"